Isolated switching power converter with data communication between primary and secondary sides

ABSTRACT

An isolated switching power converter having a primary-side and secondary-side in signal communication with an input and an output is disclosed. The isolated switching power converter comprises a transformer, primary-side switch, secondary-side switch, primary-side controller, and secondary-side controller. The transformer includes a primary-winding and a secondary-winding in signal communication with the input and output. The primary-side switch is in signal communication with the primary-winding and the secondary-side switch is in signal communication with the secondary-winding. The primary-side controller is on the primary-side and the secondary-side controller is on the secondary-side. The primary-side controller is configured to output a control signal for operating the primary-side switch and the secondary-side controller configured to monitor a voltage across the secondary-side switch, output a control signal for switching the secondary-side switch, and turn-off the secondary-side switch at an off-time of the primary-side switch to transmit a data signal to the primary-side controller.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This application relates to switching power converters, and moreparticularly to the systems for transmitting a data signal from thesecondary side to the primary side of an isolated switching powerconverter.

BACKGROUND

An isolated switching power converter provides regulated power to a loadwhile providing galvanic isolation between the load and a power sourcesuch as an alternating current (AC) power source. To provide thegalvanic isolation, an isolated switching power converter (e.g., aflyback converter) includes a transformer having a primary windingcoupled to an AC power source through a bridge diode rectifier andincludes a secondary winding coupled to an output node. Components thatare coupled to the primary winding are collectively referred to as theprimary side of the power converter circuit. Similarly, components thatare coupled to the secondary winding are collectively referred to as thesecondary side of the power converter circuit. The output node providesa regulated output voltage and/or a regulated output current to theload. A rectifier such as a diode bridge rectifies the AC power sourceto provide a rectified input voltage to the isolated switching powerconverter.

A primary-side power switch (also referred to as a power switchtransistor or simply the “power switch”) controls the delivery of energyto the output load. In a first (closed) state of the power switch, therectified input voltage powers a primary-winding current that conductsthrough both the primary winding and the power switch into ground.Energy is stored in the transformer from the conduction of theprimary-winding current. While the power switch is on, a secondary-siderectifier such as an output diode or a synchronous rectifier switchtransistor prevents a secondary-winding current from flowing in thesecondary winding. In a second (open) state of the power switch, theprimary-winding current stops and secondary-side rectifier allows thesecondary-winding current to conduct to charge an output capacitor withthe output voltage and to supply energy to the load.

Although an output diode is passive and thus requires no synchronousrectifier control to perform the secondary-side rectification of thesecondary-winding current, the use of an output diode lowers efficiencyas compared to the use of synchronous rectification. Synchronousrectification is thus broadly used to improve efficiency. Thesynchronous rectifier switch transistor is typically ametal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET). To controlthe switching of a synchronous rectifier (SR) switch MOSFET, an SRcontroller monitors the drain-to-source voltage across the SR MOSFET.Based upon the drain-to-source voltage, the SR controller detectswhether the power switch has cycled off so that the SR switch transistormay be switched on. For example, if the SR switch transistor is ann-type metal-oxide semiconductor (NMOS) transistor, the SR controllerswitches on the SR switch transistor by increasing a gate-to-sourcevoltage for the SR switch transistor above its threshold voltage.

The primary side also includes a primary-side controller for controllinga cycling of the power switch to regulate the output voltage (or theoutput current). To properly regulate the output voltage, theprimary-side controller needs to measure the output voltage in somefashion. For example, a primary-side controller in a converterembodiment with primary-only feedback can measure the output voltageindirectly by sensing a drain voltage for the power switch transistor atthe transformer reset time. But it is typically more accurate for asecondary-side controller to directly measure the output voltage andtransmit a measure of the output voltage to the primary-side controllerthrough an isolating channel such as an optoisolator. Since thesecondary-side controller is measuring the output voltage, the resultingregulation may be designated as secondary-side regulation. Insecondary-side regulation, the optocoupler feeds back the measured valueof the output voltage to the primary-side controller. However,optocouplers take up space, increase cost, can be unreliable, andutilize a current transfer ratio that varies widely from one optocouplerto another. Another issue with optocoupler-based communication is thatit is relatively low speed. Although high-speed digital isolators areavailable as an optocoupler alternative, digital isolators can beprohibitively expensive for low-cost isolated switching powerconverters.

In addition to transmitting a value for the output voltage, it is oftendesirable to communicate data from the secondary-side to theprimary-side. For example, rapid-charge flyback converters boost theiroutput voltage but this boosting depends upon the qualifications of theload (e.g., a smartphone). The smartphone transmits the amount ofboosting it can tolerate to the secondary-side controller over a datachannel in the charging cable (e.g., a USB cable). The secondary-sidecontroller must then notify the primary-side controller of the desiredboosting. Other factors such as the battery terminal voltage and batterytemperature in the load may be transmitted from the secondary-side tothe primary-side to prevent overcharging and damage to the battery cellssuch as due to the boosted output voltages in rapid-charge modes ofoperation. Data communication is also useful in other power conversionsystems that need to quickly adjust the output regulation points.Examples include wireless charging, or generally any technology whereregulation feedback from the secondary-side to the primary-side isrequired.

A known approach to address these issues is to use valley-mode switchingto transmit data to the primary-side. Valley-mode switching involvesswitching the synchronous rectifier switch transistor at valleys of aresonant oscillation of its drain voltage after the synchronousrectifier switch transistor has been cycled off during a discontinuousconduction mode of operation. But valley-mode switching does not workfor a continuous conduction mode (CCM) of operation because there is nodelay from the cycling off of the synchronous rectifier switchtransistor to the cycling on of the power switch transistor in CCMoperation. Indeed, it is the cycling on of the power switch transistorin CCM operation that triggers the cycling off of the synchronousrectifier switch transistor.

As such, there is a need for isolated switching power converters withimproved secondary-side to primary-side communication during both DCMand CCM modes of operation.

SUMMARY

In accordance with a first aspect of the disclosure, a secondary-sidecontroller for transmitting data through a transformer to a primary-sidecontroller in a flyback converter is provided that includes: acomparator configured to assert an output signal in response to avoltage across a synchronous rectifier switch transistor being less thana turn-on threshold voltage; a logic circuit configured to detect astart of each of a series of first and second transformer reset periodsin response to a respective assertion of an output signal from thecomparator; and a gate driver for driving a gate of a synchronousrectifier switch transistor, wherein the logic circuit is configured torespond to a detection of the start of the first transformer resetperiods by a command to the gate driver to switch on the synchronousrectifier switch transistor for a duration of each first transformerreset period and to respond to a detection of the start of the secondtransformer reset periods by a command to the gate driver to switch offthe synchronous rectifier switch transistor in at least a portion ofeach second transformer reset period to transmit respective bits of thedata.

In accordance with a second aspect of the disclosure, a method oftransmitting data in a flyback converter from a secondary-sidecontroller to a primary-side controller is provided that includes: at afirst time, detecting a voltage across a synchronous rectifier switchtransistor dropping below a turn-on threshold voltage to detect a startof a first transformer reset period; switching on the synchronousrectifier switch transistor during the first transformer reset period totransmit a first bit of the data; at a second time, detecting thevoltage across the synchronous rectifier switch transistor droppingbelow the turn-on threshold voltage to detect a start of a secondtransformer reset period; and switching off the synchronous rectifierswitch transistor for at least a portion of the second transformer resetperiod to transmit a second bit of the data.

These and other aspects of the invention will become more fullyunderstood upon a review of the detailed description, which follows.Other aspects, features, and embodiments will become apparent to thoseof ordinary skill in the art, upon reviewing the following descriptionof specific, exemplary embodiments in conjunction with the accompanyingfigures. While features may be discussed relative to certain embodimentsand figures below, all embodiments can include one or more of theadvantageous features discussed herein. In other words, while one ormore embodiments may be discussed as having certain advantageousfeatures, one or more of such features may also be used in accordancewith the various embodiments discussed herein. In similar fashion, whileexemplary embodiments may be discussed below as device, system, ormethod embodiments it should be understood that such exemplaryembodiments can be implemented in various devices, systems, and methods.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention may be better understood by referring to the followingfigures. Embodiments of the present disclosure and their advantages arebest understood by referring to the detailed description that follows.The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasisinstead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention.In the figures, like reference numerals designate corresponding partsthroughout the different views.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example flyback converter withtransformer-reset-period-based data transmission in accordance with anaspect of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 illustrate some details for an example SR controller and aprimary-side controller for a flyback converter withtransformer-reset-period-based data transmission in accordance with anaspect of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 illustrates some example waveforms for a flyback converter withtransformer-reset-period-based data transmission during a CCM mode ofoperation in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure in which afirst binary state of a data bit is transmitted by maintaining the SRswitch transistor off during an entire transformer reset period.

FIG. 4 illustrates another example waveform for transmitting data fromthe secondary-side to the primary-side of the isolated switching powerconverter, shown in FIG. 1, utilizing a CCM mode of operation inaccordance with the present disclosure in a which a first binary stateof a data bit is transmitted by switching off the SR switch transistorduring a latter portion of a transformer reset period.

FIG. 5 illustrates a flowchart of an example of an implementation of amethod performed by the isolated switching power converter shown in FIG.1 in accordance with the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Disclosed is an isolated switching power converter having a primary sidein signal communication with an input and a secondary side in signalcommunication with an output. The isolated switching power convertercomprises a transformer, a primary-side power switch transistor, asecondary-side synchronous rectifier (SR) switch transistor, aprimary-side controller, and a secondary-side SR controller. Thetransformer includes a primary winding in signal communication with theinput and a secondary winding in signal communication with the output.The power switch transistor is in signal communication with the primarywinding. Similarly, the SR switch transistor is in signal communicationwith the secondary winding. The primary-side controller controls acycling of the power switch transistor to regulate a delivery of powerto a load connected to the output of the isolated switching powerconverter.

The following discussion will be directed to a flyback converterimplementation of the isolated switching power converter without loss ofgenerality. The SR controller compares a drain-to-source voltage acrossthe SR switch transistor to a turn-on threshold voltage. For example,the SR controller may include a comparator that asserts an output signalin response to the drain-to-source voltage dropping below the turn-onthreshold voltage (which is typically a negative voltage). As usedherein, a signal is deemed to be “asserted” when the signal has a binarytrue state, regardless of whether the convention is logic high (e.g.,charged to a power supply voltage) or logic low (grounded) to representthe binary true state. In a conventional flyback converter, the SRconverter would switch on the SR switch transistor for a full durationof a transformer reset period in response to the assertion of thecomparator output signal. The transformer reset period depends uponwhether the operation is DCM or CCM. In both modes, the transformerreset period begins with the switching off of the power switchtransistor. In DCM, the transformer reset period then ends when thesecondary-winding current ramps down to zero. But in CCM, thesecondary-winding has not ramped down to zero before the power switchtransistor has switched back on. In CCM, the transformer reset periodthus extends from when the power switch transistor has switched off towhen it has been switched back on.

To transfer data, an SR controller is disclosed herein that transfersdata to the primary-side controller by selectively turning on or off theSR switch transistor during the transformer reset period. For example,in a first transformer reset period, the SR controller may switch on theSR switch for the full duration of the first transformer reset period.But in a second transformer reset period, the SR controller may notswitch on the SR switch transistor for the full duration of the secondtransformer reset period. For example, the SR controller could leave theSR switch transistor off during the entire duration of the secondtransformer reset period. Alternatively, the SR controller could switchon the SR switch transistor for just a portion of the second transformerreset period. In this fashion, the SR controller switches on the SRswitch transistor for the full duration during some transformer resetperiods but not for others.

When power switch transistor cycles off to start the transformer resetperiod, stored magnetic energy in the transformer is released bygenerating the secondary-winding current. If the SR switch transistor isnot switched on during a transformer reset period, the secondary-windingcurrent will still flow through the body diode of the SR switchtransistor. In contrast, if the SR switch transistor is switched on bythe SR controller, the secondary-winding current flows through thechannel in the SR switch transistor instead of the body diode. To switchon the SR switch transistor, the SR switch transistor drives a gate ofthe SR switch transistor with a voltage that exceeds the thresholdvoltage for the SR switch transistor. With the gate voltage beinggreater than the threshold voltage, the channel in the SR switchtransistor is open. But if the SR switch transistor grounds the gate ofthe SR switch transistor, the channel is closed. There are thus two waysthat the secondary-winding current can conduct through the SR switchtransistor depending upon whether the SR controller is discharging orcharging the gate of the SR switch transistor: either through the bodydiode or through the channel.

During the transformer reset period, a reflected voltage is created onthe primary winding. This reflected voltage will also be present on anyauxiliary winding at the primary side of the transformer. To detect thedata, the primary-side controller monitors the reflected voltage duringthe transformer reset period. The reflected voltage depends upon theoutput voltage but will also depend upon whether it was the body diodeor the channel that is conducting the secondary-winding current.Although the reflected voltage varies with the output voltage, note thatthe flyback converter is regulating the output voltage such that it willnot vary over a threshold amount from one transformer reset period tothe next. In contrast, the conduction through the body diode or throughthe channel in the SR switch transistor causes the reflected voltage tovary over the threshold amount for whatever portion of the transformerreset time that the SR controller is not driving the gate voltage abovethe threshold voltage. As used herein, the SR controller is deemed toswitch on the SR switch transistor when the SR controller increases thegate voltage for the SR switch transistor above the threshold voltage.Conversely, the SR controller is deemed to switch off the SR switchtransistor when the SR controller grounds the gate voltage.

The primary-side controller may thus monitor the reflected voltageduring each transformer reset period. This monitoring of the reflectedvoltage may be performed by monitoring a drain voltage of the powerswitch transistor or by monitoring a voltage on an auxiliary winding.Prior to the transfer of data, the SR controller controls the SR switchtransistor in a conventional SR fashion such that the SR switchtransistor is switched on during the duration of the transformer resetperiods. The resulting reflected voltage during the transformer resetperiod may be stored as a default reflected voltage. If in a subsequenttransformer reset period, the primary-side controller detects that thereflected voltage is greater than the default reflected voltage by athreshold amount, the primary-side controller has detected that the SRcontroller did not switch on the SR switch transistor for the fullduration of the transformer reset period. The data is thus digital: ifthe primary-side controller detects that the SR switch transistor wasnot cycled on for the full duration of the transformer reset period, theprimary-side controller decodes that detection into a first binary value(either a logic true or a logic false state). Conversely, if theprimary-side controller detects that the SR switch transistor was cycledon for the full duration of the transformer reset period, theprimary-side controller decodes that detection into a second binaryvalue that is the complement of the first binary value. In this fashion,a single bit may be transmitted in each transformer reset period. Inalternative embodiments, multiple bits may be transmitted in eachtransformer reset period by detecting a duration of a portion of thetransformer period in which the SR switch was fully on. For example, ifthe transformer reset period is represented by the variable T, the SRcontroller could switch on the SR switch transistor for a duration of T,T/2, T/4, or 0 in each transformer reset period. These fourpossibilities map to 2 bits each. The primary-side controller could thusdetect a duration of how long the reflected voltage exceeds thethreshold during a transformer reset period.

The following discussion will assume without loss of generality thatjust one bit is transmitted in each transformer reset period. In suchembodiments, the primary-side controller thus merely decides whether thereflected voltage exceeds a default reflected voltage plus a thresholdoffset voltage in each transformer reset period. Regardless of thenumber of bits transmitted in each transformer reset period, note thatthere is no dependency on whether DCM or CCM operation exists. The datatransmission disclosed herein is thus advantageously applicable toeither DCM or CCM operation. Since the data rate depends upon thecycling rate of the power switch transistor that in term determines thefrequency for the transformer reset period repetition, it isadvantageous to transmit data during CCM operation since the powerswitch transistor would then be cycling at a maximum rate. However, itwill be appreciated that data may also be transmitted during DCMoperation, albeit at a reduced data rate.

The default state for the data transmission is no transmission. In thatcase, the SR controller is functioning in a conventional fashion toswitch on the SR switch transistor for the full duration of eachtransformer reset period. At some point, the SR controller may need tosend data. It is convenient if the data is transmitted as digital wordshaving a certain length in bits e.g., 8 bits, 16 bits, 32 bits, and soon. To alert the primary-side controller that a word is coming, the SRcontroller may switch off the SR switch transistor for either all or aportion of a transformer reset period. This initial transformer resetperiod acts as a header to alert the primary-side controller that a wordis going to follow. Depending upon the word size, a set of subsequenttransformer reset periods are modulated by the SR controller. Forexample, if the word size is 16 bits, a set of 16 consecutivetransformer reset periods may be used to transmit the word. With theword transmitted, the SR controller could again transmit another headerto alert the primary-side controller of another word. In this fashion, asufficient number of words is transmitted to communicate the desiredinformation. With the information transmitted, conventional SR controlmay resume in which the SR switch transistor is switched fully on forthe duration of the transformer reset periods.

Turning now to FIG. 1, an example flyback converter 100 is shown havinga transformer 102, a primary-side 104, a secondary-side 106, aprimary-side power switch transistor S1, an SR switch transistor S2, aprimary-side controller 108, and an SR controller 110. The transformer102 includes a primary winding 112 in signal communication with an inputvoltage (V_(IN)) and a secondary winding 114 in signal communicationwith the output voltage (V_(OUT)). The power switch transistor S1 is insignal communication with the primary winding 112, and the SR switchtransistor S2 is in signal communication with the secondary winding 114.The primary-side controller 108 is in signal communication with a gate(or base in a bipolar junction transistor embodiment) of the powerswitch transistor S1. The SR controller 110 is in signal communicationwith a gate of the SR switch transistor S2. The transformer 102 may alsoinclude an auxiliary-winding 120 in signal communication with theprimary-side controller 108 via a voltage-sensing circuit 122. Thevoltage-sensing circuit 122 may be implemented as a voltage dividerhaving a first resistor R₁ and a second resistor R₂ where the firstresistor R₁ is connected to the auxiliary winding 120 and to the secondresistor R₂, which in turn connects to ground. Primary-side controller108 monitors a reflected voltage 136 at a node between resistors R₁ andR₂ In flyback converter 100, the primary-side power switch S1 is an NMOSFET but may be, for example, a high-power bipolar junction transistor(BJT) in alternative embodiments. As known in the primary-sidecontroller arts, primary-side controller 108 controls a cycling of powerswitch transistor S1 such as by monitoring a peak primary-windingcurrent as sensed by a voltage across a sense resistor R₃ that connectsbetween a source of power switch transistor S1 and ground. In eachcycle, primary-side controller 108 switches off the power switchtransistor S1 when the desired peak primary-winding current has beenreached. Primary-side controller 108 controls the cycling of powerswitch transistor S1 using a gate drive signal 132.

The secondary-side 106 of flyback converter 100 also includes an outputcapacitor C_(OUT) and a secondary-side ground 126 at a source of the SRswitch transistor S2, which may be an NMOS FET. SR controller 138controls a gate drive signal 134 through an output (OUT) terminal todrive the gate of SR switch transistor S2. SR controller 138 also has adrain terminal (DRAIN) terminal connected to a drain of the SR switchtransistor. A ground terminal (GND) is connected to ground 126.

SR controller 138 is shown in more detail in FIG. 2. To sense thebeginning of a transformer reset period, SR controller 138 may include acomparator 205 that compares the drain voltage Vdrain of the SR switchtransistor S2 to a turn-on threshold voltage. The turn-on thresholdvoltage is typically a negative voltage. In a conventional SRcontroller, the SR switch transistor S2 would be cycled if its drainvoltage dropped below the turn-on threshold voltage. But in SRcontroller 138, a logic circuit 210 responds to the assertion of anoutput signal from comparator 205 that indicates that the SR switchtransistor's drain voltage has dropped below the turn-on thresholdvoltage. If the logic circuit 210 has data to send, the SR switchtransistor S2 may or may not be switched on in the ensuing transformerreset period. Should there be no data to transmit, the logic circuit 210responds to the assertion of the comparator output signal by triggeringa gate driver 215 to assert the gate drive signal 134 applied to thegate of the SR switch transistor S2. The resulting transformer resetperiod would thus be conventional.

But if there is data to send, the logic circuit 210 may send a flagsignal to primary-side controller 108 such as by switching off the SRswitch transistor S2 during all or a portion of a transformer resetperiod. As also shown in FIG. 2, primary-side controller 108 may includea comparator 220 that compares the reflected voltage 136 to aprimary-side threshold voltage. The threshold voltage is based upon adefault reflected voltage stored in a memory 225. For example,primary-side controller 108 may observe the reflected voltage during atransformer reset period in which the SR switch transistor S2 wasmaintained on for the duration of the transformer reset period. In theabsence of any data delivery, that default reflected voltage would beexpected in future transformer reset periods (ignoring any slight changeresulting from output voltage changes). Primary-side controller 108 addsan offset voltage (ΔV) to the default threshold voltage to form theprimary-side threshold voltage. Should the SR switch transistor S1 beopened during some or all of a transformer reset period, the resultingvoltage difference from the body-diode conduction in the SR switchtransistor S2 causes the reflected voltage 136 to exceed theprimary-side threshold voltage so that comparator 220 asserts its outputsignal. Should there be a word of data to be transmitted such assignaled by a flag signal, decoder 230 can then successively decode thebit (or bits) in each successive transformer reset period until the wordis completely received.

A reflected voltage 136 waveform during CCM operation is shown in FIG.3. A first transformer reset period begins at time t0 when the powerswitch transistor S1 is cycled off and ends at a time t1 when the powerswitch transistor S1 is cycled back on. A second transformer resetperiod begins at a time t2 and ends at a time t3. During both the firstand the second transformer reset periods, the SR switch transistor S2 ismaintained fully on. After a resonant ringing, the reflected voltage 136equals the default reflected voltage 302 when the primary-side switch S1is turned off and slowly decays with time in both the first and thesecond transformer reset periods. The sudden change in current when theprimary-side switch S1 is turned off results in a high-frequencyparasitic ringing 304 in the first transformer reset period and in ahigh frequency parasitic ringing 306 in the second transformer resetperiod. This high-frequency parasitic ringing results from resonancebetween the transformer leakage inductance and the parasitic capacitanceof the primary-side switch S1 in parallel with the equivalent parallelparasitic capacitance of the primary-winding 112, and typically dies outquickly. In these transformer reset periods, transformer 102 is not ableto fully demagnetize and transfer its energy to the secondary-side 106because the flyback converter 100 is operating in CCM.

In the first and second transformer reset periods, the SR controller 138switched on the SR switch transistor S1 for the full duration of eachtransformer reset period to transmit two consecutive data bits, eachhaving a first binary value. But in a third transformer reset periodbeginning at a time t4 and ending at a time t5, the SR controller 138did switch on the SR switch transistor S2 such that thesecondary-winding current had to be conducted by the body diode 130. Thereflected voltage 136 is then increased to a voltage 314 that is greaterthan the offset ΔV from the default reflected voltage 302. This increasein the reflected voltage 136 represents the transmission of a data bithaving a second binary value that is the complement of the first binaryvalue. For example, if the first two data bits were binary zeros, thethird data bit would be a binary one. Conversely, if the first two databits were binary ones, the third data bit would be binary zero. In thisexample, the data bits being transmitted may be represented as “0's” or“1's” based on the reflected voltage 136 during each transformer resetperiod. For example, if the reflected voltage 136 does not exceedthreshold voltage 314, the transmitted data bit may be assigned adigital value of “0,” whereas the data bit may be may be assigned adigital value of “1” if the reflected voltage 136 exceeds thresholdvoltage 314.

The change in the reflected voltage 136 when the SR switch transistor S2is not cycled on during a transformer reset period is caused by theconduction of the secondary-winding current through the body diode 130.This results in approximately a 0.6 to 0.7 voltage drop across the SRswitch transistor. This is significantly greater than the expectedchange in the output voltage within a switching period of the powerswitch transistor S1. As an example, if the output capacitor'scapacitance is equal to approximately 600 uF, the current load change isapproximately 5 amps at CCM, and the switching frequency of the powerswitch transistor S1 is approximately equal to 60 kHz, the change in theoutput voltage may be just 138 millivolts.

As noted earlier, the reflected voltage 136 is subjected to a ringing atthe beginning of each transformer reset period. To prevent this ringingfrom undesirably exceeding the threshold voltage 314, the SR switchtransistor S2 may instead be cycled off during a just a final portion ofthe transformer reset period. An example waveform for the reflectedvoltage during CCM operation is shown in FIG. 4. The first twotransformer reset periods are as described with regard to FIG. 3. Thefirst transformer reset period begins at time t0 and ends at time t1.The second transformer reset period begins at time t2 and ends at timet3. In both of these transformer reset periods, the SR switch transistorS2 is switched on for the duration of the transformer reset period. Thereflected voltage 136 at a mid-point of these transformer reset periodsis thus well below the threshold voltage 314 and equals the defaultreflected voltage 302. A third transformer reset period begins at a timet4 and ends at a time t6. During an initial portion of the thirdtransformer reset period from time t4 to a time t5, the SR switchtransistor is on. But during a final portion from time t5 to time t6,the SR switch transistor S2 is off. At time t5, the reflected voltage136 thus jumps to the threshold voltage 314. Referring again tocomparator 220 in primary-side controller 108, decoder 230 may thusdetermine whether the comparator output signal exceeds the primary-sidethreshold voltage during the final portion (such as from time t5 to timet6) of the successive transformer reset periods to decode the receiveddata.

Turning to FIG. 5, a flowchart of an example of an implementation of amethod 500 performed by an isolated switching power converter isillustrated in accordance with the present disclosure. The methodincludes an act 505 that occurs at a first time and includes detecting avoltage across a synchronous rectifier switch transistor dropping belowa turn-on threshold voltage to detect a start of a first transformerreset period. The method also includes an act 510 of switching on thesynchronous rectifier switch transistor during the first transformerreset period to transmit a first bit of the data. An example of such afirst transformer reset period is either of the first two transformerreset periods in FIG. 3 and in FIG. 4. The method further includes anact 515 that occurs at a second time and includes detecting the voltageacross the synchronous rectifier switch transistor dropping below theturn-on threshold voltage to detect a start of a second transformerreset period. Finally, the method includes an act 520 of switching offthe synchronous rectifier switch transistor for at least a portion ofthe second transformer reset period to transmit a second bit of thedata. An example of such a second transformer reset period is the thirdtransformer reset period in either FIG. 3 or in FIG. 4.

Those of some skill in this art will by now appreciate that manymodifications, substitutions and variations can be made in and to thematerials, apparatus, configurations and methods of use of the devicesof the present disclosure without departing from the scope thereof. Inlight of this, the scope of the present disclosure should not be limitedto that of the particular embodiments illustrated and described herein,as they are merely by way of some examples thereof, but rather, shouldbe fully commensurate with that of the claims appended hereafter andtheir functional equivalents.

We claim:
 1. A secondary-side controller for transmitting data through atransformer to a primary-side controller in a flyback converter,comprising: a comparator configured to assert an output signal inresponse to a voltage across a synchronous rectifier switch transistorbeing less than a turn-on threshold voltage; a logic circuit configuredto detect a start of each of a series of first and second transformerreset periods in response to a respective assertion of an output signalfrom the comparator, and a gate driver for driving a gate of asynchronous rectifier switch transistor, wherein the logic circuit isconfigured to respond to a detection of the start of the firsttransformer reset periods by a command to the gate driver to switch onthe synchronous rectifier switch transistor for a duration of each firsttransformer reset period and to respond to a detection of the start ofthe second transformer reset periods by a command to the gate driver toswitch off the synchronous rectifier switch transistor in at least aportion of each second transformer reset period to transmit respectivebits of the data.
 2. The secondary-side controller of claim 1, whereinthe data comprises a data word and wherein the logic circuit is furtherconfigured to command the gate driver to switch off the synchronousrectifier switch transistor in at least a portion of an initialtransformer reset period to function as a flag signal to theprimary-side controller that the data word is going to be transmitted.3. The secondary-side controller of claim 1, wherein the logic circuitis further configured to switch off the synchronous rectifier switchtransistor for a duration of each second transformer reset period. 4.The secondary-side controller of claim 1, wherein the logic circuit isfurther configured to switch on the synchronous rectifier switchtransistor is a first half of each second transformer reset period andto switch off the synchronous rectifier switch transistor in a secondhalf of each second transformer reset period.
 5. The secondary-sidecontroller of claim 1, wherein the turn-on threshold voltage is anegative voltage.
 6. The secondary-side controller of claim 1, whereinthe voltage across the synchronous rectifier switch transistor is adrain voltage of the synchronous rectifier switch transistor.
 7. Amethod of transmitting data in a flyback converter from a secondary-sidecontroller to a primary-side controller, comprising: at a first time,detecting a voltage across a synchronous rectifier switch transistordropping below a turn-on threshold voltage to detect a start of a firsttransformer reset period; switching on the synchronous rectifier switchtransistor during the first transformer reset period to transmit a firstbit of the data; at a second time, detecting the voltage across thesynchronous rectifier switch transistor dropping below the turn-onthreshold voltage to detect a start of a second transformer resetperiod, and switching off the synchronous rectifier switch transistorfor at least a portion of the second transformer reset period totransmit a second bit of the data.
 8. The method of claim 7, whereinswitching off the synchronous rectifier switch for at least the portionof the second transformer reset period comprises maintaining thesynchronous rectifier switch transistor off during the secondtransformer reset period.
 9. The method of claim 7, wherein switchingoff the synchronous rectifier switch transistor for at least the portionof the second transformer reset period comprises switching off thesynchronous rectifier switch transistor off during a latter portion ofthe second transformer reset period.
 10. The method of claim 9, whereinthe latter portion is a second half of the second transformer resetperiod.
 11. The method of claim 7, further comprising receiving the datafrom a data cable connected to a cellular telephone.
 12. The method ofclaim 11, wherein the data comprises a rapid-charge setting for thecellular telephone.
 13. The method of claim 7, further comprising:detecting a duration of the portion of the second transformer resetperiod to transmit more than a single bit of data in the secondtransformer reset period.
 14. An isolated switching power converterhaving a primary-side in signal communication with an input and asecondary-side in signal communication with an output, the isolatedswitching power converter comprising: a transformer including aprimary-winding in signal communication with the input and asecondary-winding in signal communication with the output, aprimary-side switch in signal communication with the primary-winding, asecondary-side switch in signal communication with thesecondary-winding; a primary-side controller on the primary-side, theprimary-side controller configured to output a control signal foroperating the primary-side switch; and a secondary-side controller onthe secondary-side, the secondary-side controller configured to monitora voltage across the secondary-side switch to detect a beginning of eachtransformer reset period is a succession of transformer reset periods,switch on the secondary-side switch for a first one of the transformerreset periods, and turn-off the secondary-side switch during a least aportion of a second one of the transformer reset periods to transmit adata signal to the primary-side controller.
 15. The isolated switchingpower converter of claim 14, wherein the secondary-side controller isfurther configured to transmit a first bit of the data signal toindicate to the primary-side controller that a word of data will followthe first bit.
 16. The isolated switching power converter of claim 14,wherein the secondary-side controller is further configured to receiveinformation from a device in signal communication with the output. 17.The isolated switching power converter of claim 14, wherein thetransformer further includes an auxiliary-winding in signalcommunication with the primary-side controller and wherein the datasignal is transmitted to the primary-side controller through thesecondary-winding and the auxiliary-winding.
 18. The isolated switchingpower converter of claim 17, wherein the primary-side controller is insignal communication with the auxiliary-winding via a voltage-sensingcircuit and wherein the voltage-sensing circuit is configured to sense avoltage increase during the portion of the second one of the transformerreset periods.
 19. The isolated switching power converter of claim 18,wherein the voltage increase is caused by a body diode of thesecondary-side switch.
 20. The isolated switching power converter ofclaim 14, wherein the primary-side controller is configured to modify anoperation of the primary-side switch based on the data signal.